


Space Tapes.

by borntomkehistory



Category: South Park
Genre: Alien AU, Alien Tweek, Alternate Universe - Space, Astronaut Craig, M/M, a very slow burn, kind of friends to lovers??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 19:00:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14385066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borntomkehistory/pseuds/borntomkehistory
Summary: Craig is an astronaut whose ship gets knocked out of orbit, sending him off course in the depths of space where he crashed lands on a planet and is saved by a strange shift shaping alien who goes by the name of Tweek.





	Space Tapes.

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I wouldn't write another story but alas I have no self-control.
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> tumblr: magicalcreeks

 

...

_This is call log number 6, taking notes of the atmospheric changes. Everything is on track with only a slight change in pressure and oxygen. All systems are running, emergency switches were checked at around 08:00 hours, with a scheduled 28-hour orbit remaining—_

_..._

There was a heavy jolt causing the spacecraft to violently vibrant.

He hit his head on the emergency switch stationed to the left. The last thing he remembers hearing is the loud beeps of the alarm.

...

_Hello, I’m Craig Tucker, age 25. I’m from South Park, Colorado. This is my second mission with the hopes of getting pictures of Mars surface. Currently, I am scheduled to enter Mars’ orbit in the next five hours. If all goes well, I will be the youngest man ever to successfully make it to Mars and back._

_Shit. That sounds so douchey-_

...

Pained filled groans echoed through the small room. Craig slowly opened his eyes, his head throbbing and feeling like an egg that just got cracked.

Seeing nothing only then a bright white light, he knew he was dead. Hot tears spilled from the corners of his eyes and he made an attempt to wipe them away to preserve the little dignity he had left— upon trying to lift his hand was when he realized he could not lift it at all as it felt like trying to pick up a soaking wet bag filled with rocks.

Oh, how ironic that he was still capable of feeling pain while approaching heavens gate. Or perhaps he was going to hell where he would be one of the millions of damns being tortured for eternity. Chuckling miserably, he licked his cracked lips. Staying still until he was finally faced with his fate of meeting God or the Devil.

 _“Oh, you’re up,”_ said a strange voice above him. Yes, he was up, but that did not sound of a voice belonging to either the greater good or greater evil.

Opening his eyes again to feel the thousands of prickling needles behind his eyes, _“your wounds should heal soon. Rest.”_

Craig did feel tired. Okay, he will rest. He will rest into his dark state of half-consciousness.

He will rest.

...

The second time Craig awoke he felt more mobile than how he did previously. His tongue felt awfully dry after not consuming water for a long period of time. Parched enough to drink an entire lake, Craig turned his head where he saw a pitcher of something drinkable. He assumed it was water because of the clarity of the liquid.

Both hands reached to grab the pitcher, the drink both soothing and hydrating his burning throat. Not tasting quite like any water he had back home, it was fresh and went down as smooth as butter. Plenty of drops missed his mouth and went dripping onto his shirt and pants. After nearly consuming every last drop, he let out a heavy sigh before putting the pitcher down on his sheets.

“You’re finally up?” It was that voice again from his dream, or at least he thought it was a dream.

“Hey, thank you for saving my life and-“ lifting up his head, his body froze in a stunned shock.

Looking back at him was a man with bright blue eyes and wild blond hair sticking in all directions and eerily resembling the sun. All appeared normal at first until Craig saw the gapping gills on the lower part of his neck and the moving purple antennas poking out the top of his head. As this alien held out the refilled pitcher in his hand, Craig also saw the speckles of purple scattered over his hands with the color bunching up near his fingertips.

The alien was frightened, feeding off the emotion Craig was emitting, “is this form not appropriate? I was trying to resemble something closer to your appearance,” its purple antennas were sticking straight up. Slowly, he put the pitcher down next to Craig’s bed.

“W-Where- Who...” He stammered over struggling words, reaching for where his belt with his gun would have been if it was still there. In fact, Craig felt over his chest, his stomach, and his legs, none of his equipment was with him. Not even his helmet. Hands moving from his cheeks down to his neck, how was he breathing?

“P-Please calm down. You’re going to-“

“Stay the fuck away from me!” Craig shouted, throwing off the sheets to stand on his feet. As wobbly as his knees were, the race towards what looked like a front door, but even he could not tell anymore.

Spotting his uniform on a nearby chair, he balled the clothes into his arms, feeling for the specialized space gun he immediately pulled out in case he needed to defend himself, “how do I get out of here?” Pointing the gun towards the creature who remained by the bed with his hands up.

“You have to listen, you’re not fully healed.”

“Step. Back,” Craig warned, a numbing pain in his shoulder. He witnessed his arm holding the gun unsteadily wobble. If this alien was not going to tell him anything he was going to have to find his own way out.

Craig walked backwards towards the door, not once taking his eyes off of the creature to make sure it did not try anything funny. Still back steadily into the door, he felt the heavy wood creak open.

“Stop, you’re going to-!” The alien lunged forward, Craig firing a shot that missed and instead hit something inches away from its head. The gun had fallen from his grasps and he was now being held in the creatures cold hands.

Everything felt woozy. The adrenaline pumping throughout his veins subsided to appeal to his tired, aching body.

“I’m sorry, this is for your own good.”

His tongue felt sour and his eyes widen when he realized he had something dripped in his mouth.

Now his body felt relaxed. He remembers nothing more than seeing the worried eyes of the creature looking down on him.

...

_Hello, Craig Tucker again. I don’t really know why I’m doing these recorders, but before I left earth my therapist suggested that this would be good for me._

_Truthfully, I don’t know what to talk about._

_..._

_The moon looks beautiful from here. It exceeds all expectations I had from when I was a stupid kid._

...

When Craig finally regained consciousness his limbs were as still as lead, hindering his ability to move as freely as he was once able to. Neck stiff with an uncomfortable knot, he set his eyes on the creature who had done this to him, huddling in the corner where he must have been during Craig’s slumber.

“I’m sorry, I had to. The effects will wear off shortly,” the creature assured, moving up out of his seat to place his chilled hand on top of Craig’s burning forehead.

“Don’t... touch me,” Craig groaned, wishing he had died instead of being a part of some creatures probe. He no longer had the energy to fight and instead laid still to allow his body to rest.

“Your name is Craig Tucker, and you’re 25 years old. You must be such a young species on your planet,” Young was a nice way of putting it as Craig has not felt young since his high school days.

“I dragged your body from the flying star. You were barely alive.”

“Flying Star...?” His voice was hoarse. How he longed for another drink as his mouth felt as dry as sandpaper sitting in the steaming desert sun. Was he talking about his spaceship? Slowly but steadily Craig lifted his heavy body into a comfortable seating position.

Able to look around he saw he was in nothing more than a small hut with the bed he was in, a couple of tables, chairs, and books with a language he had never seen before written on the spines.

“What are you...?” The creatures head tilted with the messy blonde hair following. Fanning away in the unknown breeze.

“I should be asking you the same question,” Craig countered after taking a much-needed drink from the pitcher. The creature proved to be no threat to him so he was able to relax while still being grateful for having his life saved.

“I am me,” said the creature not quite understanding the question.

“I know but _what_ are you? Me, I’m human.”

“Human...” repeated the creature with his antennas falling downwards like a dying flower.

Craig winced as he moved faster than his body could currently handle. Throwing the cover off his legs, he slowly spun them over the bed. His bare feet coming in contact with the warm ground.

“So, do you have a name?” Craig asked while shoving one arm into the sleeve of his NASA jacket. The pins catching the light of the strange sun and reflecting off the opposing wall. Kneeling down he reached for the gun. Immediately the creature flinched and Craig guiltily left it on the chair.

“My name would be too difficult to pronounce just like how my true appearance would probably frighten you...”

Craig hummed, shrugging the jacket over both shoulders. He reached into his pocket again do feel a pair of Tweezers he had left. A dumb joke from Clyde who had given it to him before Craig went off on his mission, “How about Tweek?” He mused, not expecting it to stick. It turns out _Tweek_ liked the name.

“What does that mean in your language?” Tweek asked with his hands excitedly shoved between his legs.

“Uh... savior?” Craig didn’t know what to say. The name had no significant meaning other than just being a dumb name. He finished tying his boots then sat his feet back down on the ground.

“How am I understanding you? How are you understanding _me?_ ”

“I’m transmitting my thoughts to you in your language. In present time I’m speaking with you in my native tongue but you can’t hear it,” Tweeks antennas moved again.

“Freaky...” Craig shuddered, secretly hoping he could not access his thoughts, “but cool.”

“Yes. Very _cool_ ,” Tweek grinned at him. Having Craig was like having his own personal book. He’s never came across the human species in his reading.

Tweek lifted Craig’s arm, pulled on the collar of his shirt to view his neck, and even reached for his pants, “what the hell are you doing, dude?!” Craig jumped back, flushing red at the forwardness of Tweeks actions. Did his species know nothing about personal space?

“Don’t worry. I already saw it when you were resting-“

“Wait- What?!”

“How does it work?” Head once again coaxing to the side. Tweek could not replicate such an odd part. He wondered if all humans had one, or if they came in different sizes.

“No! Okay...” Craig held up one finger, his other hand guarding his manhood against any invasive eyes, “let's establish some ground rules, okay? Rule number one, no looking at my penis-“

“Is that want it called? Does that mean worm in your language? On this planet, we have a lot of worms that looks similar to-“

“Stop!” Craig was redder than before. Speaking to Tweek was just as hard as speaking to an overly curious child who always asked: why? And his penis did not look like a worm.

“Rule number _two_ , boundaries. No touching, no going through my stuff, and most important, _no touching_ ,” he made sure to stress this clearly. For once, he did not like being touched by his own friends and family on earth. There was no way he was about to become a living anatomy figure for an alien. Speaking of which, his wounds felt much better than before. He opened and closed his hand in a fist mid-lecture, impressed by how fast his body healed.

“It’s a special herbal mixture I’ve created,” Tweek explained, violating rule number two to hold onto Craig’s hand. With his finger he traced along his light blue vein only visible through his skin, “on this planet there’s a plant for every injury,” Tweeks eyes trailed up Craig’s arm to his face which hosted a small white scar, “except... I couldn’t heal that.”

Craig slapped away the alien's hand. His face turned solemn, his eyes calculated and thinking.

“Where’s my spaceship?” Voice tougher than rusted steel, he had a mission to complete and people to return to back home. If there was any hope of seeing them again he needed to know how he got here and the severity of the ship's damage.

Tweek hands lowered, “do you mean the flying star? It landed out back. That’s also where I found these,” he went to pick up the tape recorder with the dozen small tapes he managed to salvage from the wreck. It was the logs Craig was recording— that’s how Tweek found all that information about him. Craig pocketed the tape recorder, as well as some of the tapes worth keeping.

“Great. I need to go see it-“

“Wait, you can’t go.”

He stopped, “why the hell not?”

“I don’t know how your body will hold up to my planets gravity.”

“Well, I can breathe here,” Craig showcased his point by sucking in a breath big enough for his chest to expand. Exhaling shorty, “I think I should be able to walk outside without crushing my bones.”

Now it was Tweeks turn to share his bleak expression, wringing his hands together with a telling secret of something Craig did not know. What is it? Craig asked, always impatient with people keeping things from him.

“When I pulled you out from the flying star you were not breathing. Your lungs,” Tweek pointed to his own chest, hoping he was referring to the same organ, “were barely functional. I feed you an herb to heal you, but in the process, it must have given you the ability to breathe on my planet.”

“So you’re saying the composition of my lungs- my organs, have been rearranged,” Tweek was not sure that’s what he meant but he gave a tentative nod, afraid to take a step forward for he did not want to anger the human again. Truthfully, he was unsure of how a human body would react to the herbs on this planet, but he did what he needed to do in order to save his life.

Following that logic, could that mean if Craig did find a way home that his organs could no longer handle the atmospheric pressure of earth? No that can’t be. He was not mad at Tweek so he gave him a reassuring look. No, he was mad at himself. He was an astronaut, god damn it. The people of earth entrusted him to return with new information about life beyond the stars. For a scientist to conduct more research, engineers to invent better spaceships, for the minds of the youth to be as inspired to reach beyond the world they were born in— to be as inspired as Craig was.

Since only being a dumb kid with a dream of one day being an astronaut, putting fish bowls on his head while sporting his father's scrubs; stealing his mother's boots and using his sister's dolls to act as the scary aliens he was supposed to defeat.

“Take me to the flying star,” he demanded more than he asked, “I can handle it.”

Tweek made no further arguments, his head nodded with his antennas bobbing back and forth like outstretched springs. He reached for the door that leads outside to a world completely new to Craig. His eyes squinted at the brightness of the planet's surface. He held his hand up to behave like a sun visor until his eyes could properly adjust.

Once his eyes focused, he was in awe at what he was witnessing. Tall colorful dreams with jagged plants sprouting from the ground in its own unique directions; a crystal blue ocean with jumping sea creatures; not to mention the beautiful ombré sky projecting a permanent sunset. Taken straight out of a scene from Dr. Seuss, Craig could not help but gape at the technicolor landscape in front of him.

“does your planet not look like this?” Tweek inquired, moving away from the taller plants with the back of his hand. It was strange to be with someone so unfazed by something which looked like someone’s drugged fantasy.

“My planet is called earth, and no. Earth looks nothing like this.”

“What does it look like?”

Craig could not answer. He lived on his plant all his life but never did he take the time to look around and take in the scenery as he was doing now. Everything on earth fell behind him like background mesh with no real significance. It wasn’t until now where he could not properly describe his native surroundings where he felt embarrassed— he was the alien on this plant.

“Less colorful,” he said, looking straight ahead where he saw the remnants of his fallen spacecraft, “there you are...” he murmured to himself. Moving ahead at a quicker pace to get a better look at his fallen craft. His fingers brushed against the writing on its sleek surface: Red Racer, it read. Nothing more than an ode to his favorite childhood show.

“Wow, you created this flying star?” Tweek called out from the inside of the craft, poking his head out with a handful of rations meant to last a least a month. Craig glared, telling him to not touch anything until he inspected the damage.

“Give me that,” he snatched away the single pack of freeze-dried ice cream; only a treat to go with the actual meals he was given.

Craig pushed Tweek aside and hoisted himself into his seat, flipping away at the switches. He tried the power switch, the emergency power, and the back up to the emergency power. The ship was dead. Next, he went to turn the dial on the radio that was his only contact with the men and women back at the station. It turned on, but that was useless considering how far away he must be from the earth's radio signal. He slammed the machine with his hand, releasing the pent-up frustration he momentarily felt and letting out. And just as quickly his rage sparked, it blew out like a dying candle.

It was hopeless. He was never going to get home.

“Craig, what’s this?” Tweek bothered him with another discovery.

Craig lifted his head up, “what now?”

In his hands were a bunch of manuals and tapes to be used in case of an emergency. They must have been coated to take the severe temperatures of the ship somehow burning up. Those geniuses. Craig exited the craft, hopping down on his feet where he scooped up the manuals.

“Holy shit...” Whatever hope he had deflated. He considered himself to be decent in math and science, but he had to retake his engineering class several times. It was going to take a lot of brain power to read through the transcript of complicated notes and diagrams.

“Will this help you get back home?” The suspense was killing Tweek. How he enjoyed having a human companion on his planet to learn from, he knew from experience how lonely being away from home can be. Which meant he was going to do anything to reassure Craig’s return.

“It might if I could read it,” he sighed, flipping through the many pages before switching to another, “it’s going to take me ages to read all of this.”

“You are welcome to stay here for as long as you have to.”

Craig tucked the books under his arm, “Thanks. For everything. And I’m sorry for shooting at you earlier.”

All was forgiven. It was the appropriate reaction for someone to freak out, though Tweek hoped that all humans were not so light handed with their weapons. All well, that was going to have to be another question to ask for later.

“What do you eat? You must be hungry.”

At the question, Craig’s stomach growled embarrassingly loud. He has not consumed any food for a couple of days, and with all the commotion finally dying down his stomach could now focus on its needs.

Craig told Tweek not to worry about him as he had enough rations to last him. Besides, he wanted to get a jumpstart on decrypting these notes.

...

_I don’t know what else I would have done in my life if I had not become an astronaut. Quite frankly, I would have willingly stayed in South Park and have my life waste away..._

_My father, he drinks a lot and sometimes becomes verbally abusive but never dared to put his hands on any of us, not even my mother who for some reason still loves him unconditionally. He’s a good man, fucked up man._

_I love him. After everything he's been through, I love him and he accepts me for who I am._

_He accepts his gay son._

...

Craig worked diligently on the manuals for the hope of cracking the code for his ticket out of here— alas, it appeared as hopeless as it did when he saw the writing. Tearing through another pack of freeze-dried ice cream which tasted similar to chalk, he was left scratching his head. What did it all mean? Combing a hand through his hair, he decided to take a break.

Tweek has been awfully quiet today, only coming from his house once to switch out the empty pitcher of that clear drink that resembled water but did not quite taste like water.

He should probably check on the alien, though he did not want to interrupt anything important or possibly intimate to his species. When Craig stopped to think about it, he was being housed on another planet with an _alien_. If he were to ever get back to earth this was going to be the greatest find for mankind. The awards he’s going to receive, the praise, and most important, the money. He could finally pay back his student debt while giving back to his parents who had already sacrificed so much for him.

“Uh, Tweek?” Craig knocked lightly on the wooden door. The inside of the house not quite as bright as before since some of the curtains were closed. His instincts told him to never go somewhere he was unsure of. The whole nursing back to health thing could have only been an act for Tweek to get him all healthy and then consume his brain.

“Tweek?” He said again. This was getting weird.

“Twee-“

“Craig!” Blond hair poked up from the floor, in his hands he held onto the tape recorder he had found previously.

“Uh, what are you doing?” And why did he still have that old thing?

“I’m listening to this device. How is it that you’re able to put your voice in here and change it as well?”

“ change it...? It’s a tape recorder, dude,” Craig tugged on the headphone, putting it up to his ear where he heard the familiar sound beat to take on me play as clear as day. An old 80s theme tape he recorded for his for his first mission, “have you never heard music before? It’s by a singer— another human.”

Tweek’s antennas perked up. He scrambled to his feet with the headphone he was once occupying falling to the wayside on the top of Craig’s lap. He was being observed with a watchful eye, Craig watching him scramble around the room. Was it something he said? Ready to apologize for somehow offending the alien, Tweek promptly returned with a potted plant; the leaves moving ever so slightly like an endless slow dance.

Mesmerized by the dancing color combination of purples, yellows, and a touch of blue, Craig reached to touch until his hand was swatted away.

“You’re not supposed to disturb the dance. You don’t hear the music?”

Craig said no, watching the alien's face fall into one of disappointment. Describe the sound to me, he said.

“I can’t describe the sound. You have to feel it... But on this planet, there’s a lot of plants that move like this one. There’s a constant humming sound coming from the planets core that the plants like,” Tweek lifted the headphone to hold against the stem, the plant immediately stopping and freezing into place, “your human music isn’t liked by the plants.”

“I’m sorry...?” Something was telling Craig that he should be offended on the behalf of earth music everywhere.

Tweek hummed in response, the small potted seedling springing back to life with a happier dance. Amazing, Craig thought. He watched the interaction, wondering if all walks of life on here responded at positively to Tweek’s presence.

“Where are the others like you?” Craig questioned, leaning against the low bed frame for support. He needed a break from his work anyways.

“Well...” both antennas and seedling lowering with Tweeks dampened mood, “I’m the only one here.”

“You don’t have parents?”

“I do, or, I did... I was sent here when I was young. The reasons are unknown but I have been here ever since.”

“So you’re sort of like Superman? Getting sent to a distant planet for safety and to protect humanity?”

Craig’s reference went over the others head, “what is a Superman?”

“I- forget it,” he swatted the air, turning away to peer out the window.

“Do you like stars?” Tweeks eyes ballooned like one of a child greeted by candy. Everything about him was curious and kind— an energy Craig was not familiar with back on earth with the rude patrons he interacted with daily. It was a strange feeling, really. Something about seeing Tweeks face liven with excitement made something in him flutter.

“Sure, I see them nearly every day, but sure,” Craig said, pushing himself up to he feet. Yes, there was something about Tweek, unlike anything he has ever encountered. Maybe all it took was being around a strange alien to cheer him up.

“Come with me,” Tweek instructed, holding the door out behind him for Craig, the potted seedling still firmly in his hands.

“I come out here whenever I want to escape. Watch your step,” they walked onto of makeshift stairs into a small mounted deck scattered with those same colorful plants appearing more sinister in the night time. They snapped at Craig but never at Tweek— he was beginning to wonder if Tweek was the Poison Ivy of all plant life.

Awestruck at the clear sky with the dozen of dazzling stars, Craig nearly tripped over his feet. Quickly, he regained his footing to walk more upright and forward.

They shined bright like blinking lights clear of the air pollution he became accustomed to on earth; and with his head tilting upwards on a slide incline, he gazed at them, “aren’t they pretty?” Tweek asked him, leaning back on the palms of his hands.

“Yeah. Yeah, they are...” prickling tears burned the outer corners of Craig’s eyes. With the inability to pinpoint the cause of his overwhelming emotions, he sighed, “I wish I would have died in the crash.”

“I love being alive but sometimes I want to die... There’s something missing, like an endless void in my chest,” he placed his fingers on his chest, “it hurts... On earth, we have people called therapists, strangers with degrees who we pay to vent about problems and hope they can magically fix it.”

Tweek listened, digesting the information being spewed at him as he felt the energy coming off of him. He too felt his eyes water, but he wasn’t sad. With bloodshot eyes, he immediately placed a hand on top of Craig’s, “my species can only live without food for three days. I’ve often gone without eating for two in a half.”

Was all Tweek said with tears rolling down his artificial face then dripping onto Craig’s hand.

...

_I don’t contact with anyone else, well, besides my pet guinea pig before she died..._

_I have friends and their names are Token, Clyde, and Jimmy. Token works as head communication in NASA, Clyde went on to become a coach in our old high school in South Park, and Jimmy, he pursued his dream of becoming a comedian except he works with amateurs and moved to Vegas._

_I don’t envy their success. I’m happy that those fuckers are doing well, especially Clyde who was never a star student. But when I look at all of us and where we are now I wonder why I still feel incomplete..._

_I wonder why I can never talk to them._

...

After their brief discussion on the makeshift observatory, something in Craig clicked. Whether the faux hope he now had on ever getting back home, or perhaps it was because he’s felt happier than he had in years. He felt good, with a better pip in his step.

Craig held his arm over his eyes to shield them from the light. Still groggy from sleep— he’s been sleeping a lot lately as he suffered from insomnia back home— he felt his bed dip with an added weight.

Shifting his arm up in an awkward angle to reveal one green eye, he saw a pair of blue ones staring back at him, filled with the sparkling curiosity mixed with added guilt of breaking the established rules Craig had set after getting violated in his sleep.

“I’m sorry,” Tweeks voice held a slight quiver with his trembling bottom lip, “I didn’t touch anything but I saw it rise and thought something was wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” Craig’s eyes trailed down his body where he made a rather embarrassing discovery, a stiff wood.

Fucking Christ, he pulled his pillow from underneath his head to lay down in his lap.

“A-Are you hurt?” Tweek sounded frantic with his antennas sticking up in an alert stance. This was as embarrassing as being a teenager caught by a parent; they knew what was going on but still, it’s something no one will ever what their parent to see.

He tilted his head back on the sort of mattress to conceal his flushed cheeks, his face feeling hot enough to fry an egg. It did not help that Tweek was sitting only inches away from his problem.

“Can you give me a couple of minutes?” He begged, figuring it best to relieve his frustration instead of waiting for it to go down.

“Can I help?” Tweek, incapable of taking a hint, stayed on the bed with the fear of something happening to Craig if he left. Humans seemed so fragile.

Craig bit his lip. A disturbing thought raced through his mind and he wanted to say yes, he could help— he hasn’t experience intimacy in years. And it was not because he did not want to but because it was hard finding a decent guy that he could stand being around long enough to get to that point. Tweek was different. Craig craned his neck up.

On the outside, he appeared mostly human, with big round blue eyes and his wild blonde hair. His artificial appearance could not mask the parts of him which were obviously alien such as his frequently moving antennas, the purple skin on his fingers and ears, and the fish like gills on his lower neck just near his collarbone. Still, even with the biological difference between the both of them, Craig felt an unexplained attraction.

“I’ll be fine, just, please...” his begging turning into a pathetic whine, Tweek listened, stepping off the bed.

“I can collect some berries to help you,” Tweek decided, dashing out of the small home in search of these so-called berries.

Saved once again by Tweek’s oblivious nature, Craig counted his blessings and got to work by sliding his hand down his pants.

He was only going to need a couple of minutes after all.

...

“Fuck,” Craig cursed again, scooping up a handful of those berries Tweek had promised to get— they were almost similar to blueberries but green with a much sweeter taste— sitting inches away from the fallen spaceship, he messed around with the radio he pulled from the wreckage, trying to reconfigure the circuits for a miracle of making some sort of human contact.

For hours he’s been out working on trying to find an answer, a sign even showing him the way home, nothing. The manuals were read more times than once with the pages bent from the excessive turning. His rations were getting low but luckily there were safe foods he could eat. Like this berries for instinct.

Not to mention he’s been actively avoiding Tweek after what happened when he woke up. Tweek did not seem to understand awkward human situations because he was not _human_. Craig scratched his head again before wiping away some of the accumulating sweat on his forehead. The weather was much hotter today compared to the other days. It’s a good thing he decided to leave his jacket behind which left him in his boots, baggy blue pants, and a plain white shirt with unwelcome armpit stains.

“Is this even possible?” He muttered while scanning the numbers and diagrams in the manual.

After a couple of more minutes of finicking with the radio, the sound of static was like music to his ears. To make sure he was not dreaming, Craig pinched himself twice, turning the dial slightly to the left.

“Fuck- hello? Someone please fucking answer...” he prayed, staying silent with only the sound of the elongated stretch of static. If he did, in fact, get in contact with Earths single it would be welcomed news because that means he is not as far away as he initially believed.

“Hello? It’s Craig, Craig Tucker! I don’t know how but I crash landed away from Mars’ orbit and onto another planet... someone fucking answer.”

 _“C...ra...ig?”_ The static broke apart to a barely audible response.

“Hello?!”

 _“He...ll...o? Hell...o? Craig?”_ It sounded like Token. Holy shit. It sounded like Token.

A wave of happy tears sprung to his eyes, “Token? Holy shit, can you hear me?”

 _“Just ba...re...ly.... you’re alive?”_ The reception was inconsistent. Craig could hear the shock in Tokens voice. He let out a dry chuckle, yeah, he was alive and even he did not know how.

“Listen, I don’t know how long I can keep the signal, but did you hear what I said? I’m stuck on this planet with the ship completely out of commission... tell me you can help me get back.”

_“Fuck... do you have an idea of what planet you landed on?”_

“Not a clue. There’s life here, plant life. Can you help me?”

The static was stronger than before, signaling to the thinning connection. Craig knew it was only too good to be true. He had to count his one miracle and hope that Token could help him.

 _“I... ca...n’t hear y...ou. Cra...ig! Use t...he built-in coordinates to help-!”_ Just like that, the connection shut down like a clicked off television screen.

Heart thumping in his chest, he jumped up to find Tweek, needing to share the news with another. Use the build in coordinates Token said... if it were really that simple then he would be able to get home in no time, or at least he hoped when he could somehow fix the damage done to the ship. With nearly the whole craft turned into nothing more than a pile of rubbish, there was no way he could realistically rebuild it with his limited knowledge of crafting a machine so complex.

Neither seeing Tweek inside of his small home playing around with Craig’s tape recorder or near the _“observatory”_ , he finally found him near one of the many tall colorful trees hunched over with three piles of something assorted in front of his feet.

“Tweek?” Craig called his name, worrying when he did not receive the usual warm greeting. He circled around his hunched over body to take a seat in front of him.

“They’re not perfect...” Tweek said in a lowered voice more towards himself, picking up another pebble from the ground that did not quite match the characteristics of the ones he had in piles. His eyes were dull and distant, with his face vacant of any emotion. This was not the Tweek Craig had grown accustomed to.

He reached out a tentative hand to touch Tweeks arm, disobeying his rules then careful when he felt the alien flinch from his slight touch. Something was wrong and he knew right now would not be appropriate to share the possible news of himself finding a way home.

“Everything is my fault. It was me, I’m the reason why I’m here, I’m the reason why my parents sent me away. I’m the reason,” his eyes flashed with a darkened hue, irises darting left than right until landing upon Craig, “I’m the reason. I’m the reason.”

Tweek reached for his hair where he pulled at it harshly with his hands, still chanting: I’m the reason and other words Craig could not understand. He needed to do something before Tweek hurts himself and did the only thing he knew how.

“Breathe, Tweek, I’m here,” Craig surprised himself by going in for a hug, holding Tweek’s shaken body close until he felt the muscles in his body slowly relax. While Craig tried to help him he quietly reminded him of small things he knew about the alien, such as the tape recorder he was fond of, the stars, even the discussion of the dancing plants.

And slowly for surely, Tweek calmed down, his body falling limp to the energy he exerted. He listened to Craig’s words and felt his mind ease of the feeling of his initial panic.

“It’s okay,” Craig held his tongue for a moment, “I’m not going anywhere.”

...

_I’ve decided that feeling numb to the everything around me was the only way for me to cope with living a life I could no longer live normally._

_The feeling of loneliness started only after I returned from my first mission. I guess up there in space for such a long time made me reflect on who I was as a person, or who I thought I was._

_I returned home with forced smiles and hugs, listening to my friends and family gush of all I have accomplished with NASA. I thought that’s what I wanted..._

_How wrong I was._

_Not to be a fucking sap of dramatic, or even like Stan Marsh, an old asshole I used to know who I say prior to starting this mission._

_But, I guess he’s onto something when he chooses to drink away his feelings. It’s not so bad, I guess._

...

“And by using the coordinates already programmed in the ship, I can go home... if I had an operating ship that is,” Craig explained to Tweek who was still in his arms, leaning awkwardly against his torso that was making Craig’s arm go numb.

Not moving from the spot underneath the technicolored tree, they watched the sky shift from ombre tonight where Craig had realized that the planet had more than one moon. About three to be exact, two closer to the left and one planted in the middle which shined brighter than the rest.

Tweek listened. No interruption, no questions, only absorbing the words coming from Craig’s mouth.

“Only in my dreams could I repair the ship. Miracles don’t usually happen more than once.”

“I can help you,” Tweek finally said, shifting away from Craig’s hold. He did not acknowledge the episode he had earlier because did not want to frighten him. Holding down his wrist with his hand, he squeezed it into a fist. The idea he had only had a slim success rate, but it was the only option Craig had to get back home.

“The pod my parents send me in is still here. I think it can handle the trip to your homeworld.”

Sitting up, “Do you think that will work?”

Tweek shrugged his shoulders, releasing the tension by opening his hand, “I don’t know. It might. But you need to get home.”

“I’m starting to get the sense that you’re kicking me out,” Craig joked. _Badly_. He was acting strange though. For Tweek to suddenly want him to leave almost hurt his feelings.

Tweek did not engage with his joke with his usual follow up questions or bright-eyed enthusiasm, “it’s for the best,” he coldly shrugged him off.

“Okay...”

Why did he feel so disappointed? A couple of days ago he only thought about returning home but now something inside of him was insistent that he stayed, or that Tweek will tell him to stay with him. No, he _wanted_ to stay here with Tweek— deep down he did. Whether if they could become friends or perhaps something more was only a fantasy Craig was foolish enough to entertain in his head. The bottom line was they were two completely different species with two opposing views on relationships. Tweek never expressed being interested in Craig as a friend and only saw him as an object he could study and learn from... now that he’s learned what he wanted he was ready to move on and let him go.

 _You can stay for as long as you need,_ Craig recited those same words coming from the very alien driving him away.

“Where is it?” Craig asked, focusing on the topic on hand and stuffing down the conflicting emotions he felt.

“I can take you there when the sun rises. You should get some rest.”

He did feel suddenly drowsy with his eyes feeling heavy and sluggish. One eye closing, then the other, then both of them. He drifted off into a rough sleep with Tweeks eyes staring back at him the only thing he remembers seeing.

...

_I guess I’m the type of person who rarely falls in love but falls hard._

_I meant a boy once in elementary school with blonde hair and Tourette’s. While every other kid around me called him weird, I thought he was the coolest boy ever. I talked to him once after finally gaining the courage to._

_I offered to do his laundry and gave him my phone number._

_It was only when he moved away when I realized it was too late._

...

His body rattled and he heard the impact of small rocks hitting class. Either a realistic dream of himself driving in a car on the bumpy road or the racket of an earthquake, Craig opened his eyes and felt his warm breath fogging the inside of his helmet.

Eyes opening wider, he quickly sat up and realized he was no longer sitting on the ground next to Tweek but was in something that was moving. Hands rushing to handle the controls, they were nothing more than complicated alien technology that he could not understand. Stretching his arms to feel the glass, he watched the planet he was once on move further away from him.

That’s when a second realization hit him. He was knocked off course from Mars and instead made it to Saturn, peering at the large asteroid belt he escaped from in one piece. His lips were parted at the beauty of such a large planet he had not realized he was on.

“Tweek...” he said. Why did the alien trick him? And was this the pod he was going on about before Craig’s slumber? He had so many questions going unanswered, but the main one he asked was: why did he send me away with saying goodbye?

Sitting back in the cramped pod, Craig’s mind was swimming with the thoughts and possibilities of why he was no longer wanted.

He sighed inside his helmet, hands bracing onto the sides of the pod where he let out a muffled cry.

Why? He thought, Tweek having managed to successfully rewrite his heart.

Why did he send him away?

...

Meanwhile, back on Jupiter, Tweek watched the sky from his observatory, alternating between the tapes he kept from Craig.

He played the ones with prerecorded songs, witnessing the plants dance around him in a mellow rhythm. Tweek had to make sure he got back home, it was for their own good.

Even with Craig now gone he left an everlasting impression on the planet's surface as Tweek pressed the rewind button for the third time:

_Hello, I’m Craig Tucker, age 25. I’m from South Park, Colorado..._

 

... 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed my story! Kudos and comments are always appreciated!
> 
> yell at me on my tumblr: magicalcreeks or ask me questions! xoxo


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